Thursday, March 22, 2018

Winter's Progression #6



Winter's Progression #6
The Shape of Things to Come
February 2018







February 4

February 6







February 11

February 13







February 20















February!

Th last month that is truly, 100 percent winter. I love winter and miss it after it passes. But, I am also looking forward to the excitement of spring when new things happen with increasingly rapid frequency.

February did bring some very early signs of spring:

Swelling tree buds ….

February 20


moss and lichen waking up …

February 6

February 13

February 20: Moss with sporophylls, near the Inlet


the first tiny seedling plants peeking through leaf litter …

February 13

some insects daring to show up and fly about …

February 20 - A collapsed spider web full of gnats

flocks of Snow Geese flying over the woods, one after another …

February 6







and the critchety calls of Chorus Frogs!

Early February was cold, with a dusting of snow that visually brought out areas of dampness and water flow.




February 4: A pale ribbon through the bottom of the woods shows the path of the Creek

February 4: Cottonwood Pond and the area (to the right) that drains into it




February 6: Seep area (which starts at the pond corner) draining into the Creek at the Very Rotten Log


February 6: Main pond (bottom right) with Isthmus to its upper left






February 6: Temporary Creek #1 (distance) emptying into the Swampy Spot (foreground)

February 6: Light snow concentrations show location of Swampy Spot






February 6: Water flows from the Swampy Spot (upper right) down to the Inlet and into the main pond










A thin layer of ice developed over the Creek and pools, showing previous water movement through illustrative, beautiful designs.

February 4: The rising sun glistens off of the Creek ice 





February 6

February 6: Ice on the Creek





February 6: Creek






February 6: Main pond

February 6: Main pond at north end near Isthmus





February 6







February 6: "little pond"

February 6: "little pond"

In mid-February, ice and snow were gone, and all was brown again.

February 11




February 13: Cottonwood Pond area as seen from the northwest





February 13: Creek winding through woodland northwest of Cottonwood Pond, not far from Temporary Creek #2








By February 20 there were distinct changes. Previous rains had left signs of their effects on the area – where water had collected, flowed, and pushed through. But, the rains had been far enough behind to allow pools to become calm, clear, and reflective.






February 6: Frozen crawdad chimney





February 20: Soggy crawdad chimney



February 6: Where the Seep meets the Creek - the Bark Ledge barely visible

February 20 - Bark Ledge more visible, with water flowing under it into the Creek

February 20: Creek flowing through woods bottom - a tributary meets up with it from the east

February 20: Creek flowing under the Barkless Log near Cottonwood Pond


February 20


February 20: Water in the main pond

February 20: Cottonwood Pond and the Inlet

February 20: closer to the Inlet

February 20: Other side of Inlet, where water flows into the pond


February 20: flow path from Swampy Spot to Inlet (left)


February 20: Swampy Spot

February 20: Temporary Creek #1, which flows into the Swampy Spot

February 20: north corner of Cottonwood Pond, and the Isthmus (upper center)


The most significant difference showing on February 20 was at the Mud Pile. There had been fresh, strong dropping of soil from the Root Ball to the Mud Pile below.






Root Ball and Mud Pile, showing the Cove opening between



Debris on the Scree/Mud Pile: broken-of pieces of roots from the Root Ball make their way down to the water

The north edge of the Root Ball has been greatly reduced over time as soil has fallen from the old roots


Over time, as soil has fallen from the Root Ball and considerably enlarged the Mud Pile, the main pond has become more crescent-shaped and shallower.


The Root Ball, the Mud Pile and the main pond seen from the north/northwest (at the Isthmus)


But, during rains and snow melts the water has continued to fill the depression that I call Cottonwood Pond. As water pours down the slopes into Temporary Creek #1, then into the Swampy Spot, then through the Inlet (which has enlarged over the years), it has to go somewhere.

Will water push at the outer edge of the pond, eroding it and overflowing the banks? Will it deepen what has been the shallow rim? Will the pond continue to exist, but further from the Root Ball and Mud Pile, and perhaps in a different shape?

There is one thing I do know at this point, in February: the Chorus Frogs still find this place amenable.


February 6

February 20: "little pond" seen from the north/northeast


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